Now there is acetic acid and ethanol, and the two meet to form ethyl acetate.

Acetic acid is strong, containing a carboxyl group (-COOH), the carboxyl group is active, and hydrogen can separate it. Ethanol is mild, has a hydroxyl group (-OH), and the hydroxyl group is stable. When it encounters acetic acid, it also changes.

When the two are catalyzed by acid and assisted by heat, the carboxyl group loses its hydroxyl group, and the hydroxyl group dehydrogenates, and the two merge to form ethyl acetate and water. Its form is:
\ (CH_ {3} COOH + C_ {2} H_ {5} OH\ underset {\ triangle} {\ overset {concentrated sulfuric acid} {\ rightleftharpoons}} CH_ {3} COOC_ {2} H_ {5} + H_ {2} O\)

This is a reversible response. To obtain polyethyl acetate, the amount of reactant can be increased, or the product water can be removed. This reaction is very important in organic synthesis and can be prepared by fragrances and solvents.